Spirit Animals - Children of Ninani
by EliTheEagleOwl
Summary: "A famed assassin will tend a natural killer in exile. A girl who would be a fisher will befriend a hunter. A child who is also a thief will call a king. A prince who wishes for skills will summon a warrior. And in the shower of battle in the shadows of a cold palace, a war will be won . . . or lost." Spirit animals Fanfiction following the book series.
1. Chapter 1 - Halawir

"Catch her!"

Letting a string of curses exit her mouth, Jacquelyn raced through the halls of the large palace, her one blue eye scanning the spaces around her for an exit. Dogs barked behind her, and as the girl glanced over her shoulder, she caught a glimpse of a bloodhound leading the charge. She scowled.

The guards had caught her in the act. Her knife had been so close to the target, but the dog had to wake up. While she had been wrestling with it, guards stationed outside of the room had heard the commotion and rushed inside, only to find a twelve-year-old girl fighting the king's spirit animal, while he lay unconscious from the poison she had given him.

Now she was running for her life. Stopping would allow the dogs to advance and tear her to pieces, but her stamina - no matter how well trained she was - would not keep her going much longer. She had wasted energy - precious energy - climbing into the bedchambers through the window, and even more fighting the bloodhound. Even now she could feel her muscles beginning to tire.

She cursed herself for her stupid mistake again and searched for a way to escape the palace unharmed. Currently residing on the sixth floor, jumping was out of the question. However, if she stopped to fight, the guards would kill her - being a famous Euran assassin had its downsides.

Teeth tore into her leg. Gripping her mask to keep it from falling off her face, Jac twisted around and kicked the animal - a fox - harshly in the chest, sending it skidding across the scarlet carpet. By that point, the pack was upon her. Dogs of all sorts lunged, a coyote snapping at her arm while a hyena nipped at her ankles. Somewhere in the mass, she even saw a yorkie.

She had never hated dogs so much up until this point.

A single bark rang out over the rest, and the dogs parted ways to allow the huge bloodhound - the king's spirit animal - to approach. Before the young assassin could even think about getting up, it jumped. Paws slammed her shoulders to the ground, while fangs drove into her throat. She let out a gurgling cry, shoving her hands into its chest in an attempt to save her life. It held strong - there was no getting it off.

"Mayne!" A deep voice thundered. "Release!"

The savage dog let go of Jac's throat quite quickly at those words, backing away from the young assassin.

As King Clovis approached, the girl attempted to find her footing to get away. However, her limbs were weakened from the energy it took to fight, so she gave out and collapsed again.

She glared at the king murderously through her mask.

"Guards." Clovis spoke calmly. "Take her to the dungeons."

One guard looked rather shocked at this. "But sir, you told us -"

"I didn't anticipate my killer was an eleven-year-old." The king interrupted. His eyes did not hold anger or remorse, but rather pain and sadness as he stared at Jac. "Take her to the dungeons."

"Yes sir."

* * *

_People danced._

_ All around her, they danced and talked and made unnecessary ruckus, giving her a headache._

_ And then there was Jac, leaned against a wall, holding a wine glass with red liquid. The stuff tasted nasty, but that was probably because a nine-year-old wasn't really supposed to be drinking wine._

_ Her blue eyes scanned the room behind her mask. It was appropriate - this was a masquerade party, so no one had to see her face - not that she'd let them, being a feared assassin._

_ "Not satisfied?"_

_ She turned her gaze to the speaker, Lord Devin Trunswick. He stood with his back to the party, staring at her with his green eyes. Jac tilted her head slightly to the side. "I'm never satisfied." _

_ Devin gave a dusty chuckle. "You're like me, then. I'm hardly satisfied."_

_ "Is that so?" Jac raised a brow beneath her mask._

_ The boy nodded._

_ It couldn't hurt to have a conversation, she thought. "My name is Jacquelyn McKenna."_

_ "A surname? You must be rather high-ranked, then."_

_ "I am." Jac lied._

_ "Well, I am Devin Trunswick." _

_ "Pleasure to meet you, Lord Trunswick." Jac responded politely._

_ He glimpsed the drink she still hadn't touched. "Unpleasant, is it?"_

_ Jac shrugged. "I don't like wine."_

_ "I'll take it, then. I find this brand quite delicious."_

_ She handed it to him._

_ He sipped the wine gracefully and chuckled. "Say, you look around thirteen years. Have a spirit animal?"_

_ Jac stiffened. She had always been told she looked older than her age. "Yes." She lied again. _

_ "May I see it?"_

_ "Not presently." Jac said firmly. "I don't like when he's out."_

_ "Why? Not too fond of the beast?"_

_ Jac shrugged. "I never wanted a spirit animal." That much was the truth._

CLANG.

Jac was awakened when the door to her cell swung open. She sat up, tense, as this was the first visit she had gotten since she was locked up earlier in the morning. Her mask was still on, as she had not let them take it off.

King Clovis walked in with two guards. His bloodhound was nowhere to be seen - probably passive as a tattoo on his skin.

"Assassin."

Jac glared at him.

"If you would tell me your name, I'd call you something else." The king pointed out.

The girl scoffed. "Keep on dreaming, Buster."

Silence.

Jac closed her eyes.

". . . you ARE eleven, aren't you?"

"Twelve, actually."

"Have you had the Nectar?"

This question caught Jac off guard. She turned her head toward Clovis, her eyes still narrowed. "Why do you care?"

One of the guards scoffed. "I'll take that as a no."

"Get me a Greencloak." The King ordered.

The guard left.

Clovis stepped toward the young girl. "You do realize that it's very dangerous not to take the Nectar. What if you have the potential to call a spirit animal?"

"Then I can have a reason for my insanity." Jac responded without looking at him. "Anyway, my chances are one in two billion. I think I'm safe."

The king scowled. "You never know. And the bonding sickness is so much more than just insanity."

Jac glanced at him. "How would you know? You and that dog of yours seem to have bonded with Nectar."

"We were lucky. My brothers weren't."

"So they're a little crazy or sick." Jac shrugged. "It's nothing to be afraid of."

Clovis leaned forward so that he was standing directly over her. "They're dead." He hissed. "My older brother was killed by his sickness in about a day, and my little brother decided to kill his spirit animal, which killed him as well."

The assassin gave a bitter laugh. "That's not my problem."

"Surely you had family that had the bonding sickness?" The king pried. "After all, your line of work doesn't exactly show me that you have money for Nectar."

"Family?" Jac narrowed her eyes. "What family?"

"The family that turned you into this monster you've become."

The girl growled at him. "My family has been gone for a very long time."

"They abandoned you?"

"They died." Jac responded simply. "In a Fire. I was the only one who made it."

Clovis blinked, obviously shocked. "Then why are you an assassin?"

"The Fire was arson. I'm looking for the person who started it."

Footsteps, and the guard returned with an old woman wearing a green cloak. The king turned to her and put a bright smile in his face. "Peyton!"

The elder woman nodded her head. "Long time no see, King Clovis."

Jac tilted her head to get a glimpse of the woman's spirit animal - a majestic whitetail deer standing behind her. It was short - only the size of a Great Dane, with neat tawny fur detailed with darker colors. The eyes were silver.

"You say this girl needs a sip of the Nectar?"

Clovis nodded.

Peyton gave a deep sigh and unhooked a canteen from her belt. Approaching the young assassin, she held it out. "Take a sip."

Jac hesitated. "I don't want a spirit animal."

The Greencloak raised a brow. "I can't help those feelings." She commented. "But whether you take it or not, if you are worthy, an animal will come. This makes it safer."

The assassin looked down.

"Take it." Peyton continued. "And you will be safe. Refuse, and if you call a spirit animal, it will destroy you."

Jac lowered her head and took the canteen. "Turn away." She hissed.

No one moved.

"Turn away now or you can forget me drinking this stuff."

Clovis sighed deeply and turned around, looking into the hall. Peyton followed suite, and the two guards - after death-glaring the assassin - did so as well.

Jac pulled off her metal mask and sipped the sweet Nectar, gagging at the consistency. Once she slipped her mask back on, the taste became familiar.

The assassin choked back her tears when she recognized the taste of her mother's famous apple Ice. It was . . . strange to taste it again, as it had been over eight years since the last time she had eaten it.

By this time, Clovis and Peyton had turned to face her, watching her reaction with obvious interest. She had started to tremble uncontrollably.

"I think she'll get a spider." The first guard laughed. "Bitter and disgusting, just like her."

The second chuckled. "Nah, a rat is more likely."

"Shush!" The Greencloak hissed, watching the girl.

Jac couldn't control her body, a scary, but truthful thought. She was shaking - her legs, fingers, her shoulders - and a warm glow had started in her chest, growing hotter with every breath she took. Stumbling, she fell to her knees, growling in irritation at this moment of weakness. She grew dizzy, her head feeling swelled up with unfathomable discomfort.

Then the screaming started.

Jac would never scream - never. But the deer in the room was currently making a horrible screeching sound. Both of the guards' spirit animals had started an annoying racket as well, a jackal and a platypus. Clovis' bloodhound, who had been released moments before, was howling in a manner similar to that of a wolf.

The ground rumbled beneath her feet, and there was a brilliant flash of pure white light, close to lightning during a storm.

Silence.

Jac opened her eyes and got to her feet, breathing heavily as she raked her gaze around the cell.

Clovis was staring at one corner of the stone room in shock, as was Peyton. Both were stunned.

Jac followed where they were looking, and found herself staring into brilliant gray eyes. Concealed by shadows, the animal wasn't identifiable from where she was. Despite the static charge running through her body, however, she didn't move an inch closer to whatever it was.

"Call it to you." Peyton suggested.

Jac glanced at her awkwardly, before turning back to the animal. "Er, come here?"

With a majestic screech that rang through the room, the animal stepped from the shadows.

The assassin couldn't believe her eyes.

Gray eyes flecked with gold, glossy bronze plumage, a hooked beak, huge talons, and blue-gray patches on the undersides of the wings.

She was looking at an eagle.

Jac couldn't deny the fact that her knowledge of birds far exceeded others. She knew an eagle when she saw one, and this bird standing before her was most definitely an eagle. They were one of the symbols of Eura.

But that was impossible. No one could have an eagle as a spirit animal because Halawir - one of the fifteen Great Beasts and the Four Avengers - was an eagle. Spirit animals were never the same species as Great Beasts, they never had been. Hawks and buzzards were spirit animals in relation to them that could be called, but eagles and falcons were restricted to the Great Beasts.

It cocked its head in a curious manner, assessing the girl with its storm-colored eyes.

The eyes.

They were gray flecked with gold, and only one eagle matched the description.

She turned her head to the emblem on the cell door. Carved from gold, the inscription of Halawir the Eagle stared at her with the eyes of pure rage.

The eagle stared at her calmly, its eyes holding the manners of a regal beast. Jac resisted the urge to reach forward and stroke it, reminding herself that she hadn't wanted a spirit animal in the first place. It was quite large - at least as tall as a deer - if not larger. Judging what she knew about birds, the wingspan was probably around twenty four feet relative to the size.

The greencloak took a deep, shaky breath. "A famed assassin will tend a natural killer in exile." She murmured in wonder.

Jac couldn't believe it. She hadn't wanted a spirit animal, and yet the Nectar had produced an animal she wasn't supposed to be able to call.

The Nectar has brought her an eagle.

She turned her back on it, her fingers trembling. Resisting the bond, she closed her eyes.

". . . is she rejecting her spirit animal?"

Jac flinched when one of the guards broke the silence. The eagle was still staring at her, she could feel it.

Peyton stepped toward her. "Accept it."

"Why?" Jac hissed, her voice cracking.

"It's your spirit animal. Rejecting it would be fatal to both of you."

Jac turned her head to look over her shoulder at the eagle, meeting its piercing gray gaze. Reluctantly, she held out her arm and whistled.

It spread its wings - she was right, close to twenty-four feet - and propelled to her, landing on her arm with grace. As soon as the talons cut into her skin, her perspective changed.

Jac's eyesight sharpened dramatically. She could see every crack in the cell she currently resided in, along with the creepy crawlers that hid within them. Her hearing also enhanced, as she could hear the heartbeat of the eagle on her shoulder.

She could tell that this eagle was a male, and that he was slightly dazed as to what was happening. The clarity she felt was present in his eyes as well, and she realized one, startling fact:

Jac and the eagle were not bone, feather, and fur, but a perfect idea of freedom and flight, limited by nothing at all.

Not even this dank cell.

The eagle still on her shoulder, Jac stood up and turned to face the king and his three companions. All stared at her - all but the king looked downright stunned.

The assassin smirked under her mask as she looked Clovis in the eyes. "I will get out of here. You can't cage a girl forever."

Clovis gave a deep sigh as he looked at his prisoner, before he turned to the guards. "Come, Axel, Tyrone. If you've finished staring the eagle and his human down, we have a Greencloak to contact." He spoke firmly as he turned to walk into the hall. "Though I do not fear a girl's misguided notion that she can somehow escape my palace, the Eagle is another matter entirely. Some Great Beasts, like Tellun, are peaceful." His fingers traced the eagle emblem on the door. "But I have ancestors who have met the actual Halawir before. He'll destroy everything in his path to keep his home safe. I have no doubt this eagle will be the same."

Jac watched them go, left in darkness once the cell door slammed shut. She turned her gaze to the eagle. "We have to escape."

He flinched slightly, and Jac felt terrible for ignoring him earlier.

"I won't hurt you." She said in the most gentle voice possible. "I would never hurt you. I want you. I know you are scared. I saw everything you were afraid of in that moment when you - when you touched me." She took a deep breath and stared him in the eyes. "If you help me escape, I promise that I'll never do anything to hurt you. I promise I'll listen to my conscience and bond with you. We can choose the best future together."

The eagle tilted his head.

I could use your help with what they left me." The young assassin continued. "A ruined mind, a weak and broken career. You'd be my spirit animal - doesn't that sound all right? When we can love each other without anyone having to die?" She smiled. "I guess I was just waiting for us, my friend."

He shreed softly, as though asking about the inhabitants of the castle.

Jac scowled. "They should have helped fix this. Do you see what they did when they left me?" She dropped her gaze to the floor. "It's all gone - my power, my love. My beautiful future. They did this to my whole line, not just to me."

Silence.

"My Friend, I - I keep looking at all my new possible futures. Millions of possibilities, but they're all empty." She looked up. "They're empty without you. I have no one, eagle. All I can see around me, as far as the future unrolls, are slaves and soldiers."

"BE SILENT, ASSASSIN!" One guard bellowed, entering the room with a large net.

Jac backed away. "What is that for?"

The guard smirked, and hurled the net at her. She braced herself, but nothing happened except for the weight of her eagle being removed from her shoulder. Jac gasped.

"No!"

"You can't escape without your precious spirit animal." The guard - Axel - sneered. "So I'm separating you."

He picked up the thrashing eagle, and Jac cried out in shock. "You can't do this! Give him back, he's mine!"

No response. He left the room with her spirit animal.

"STOP!" She shrieked.

A whistle, and the other cell door slammed shut.

". . . I haven't even named him yet." Jac whimpered in a small voice.

* * *

It had been close to five hours.

She heard the endless shrieking of her spirit animal in the cell beside hers, but the guard made no moves to end their suffering. He seemed determined to watch them both break.

Jac was slowly losing it. She wanted her eagle. To name him, to bond with him.

The begging had stopped hours ago - not that she'd done it very long anyway. Currently, she leaned against the wall, head buried in her knees. Listening to her eagle screech was breaking her mind. Desperately, she wanted him to stop, to let him know she was there, but his cries were too loud. Even for an eagle, he would never hear her.

THUD.

Jac looked up when she heard the unmistakable sound of a body hitting the floor. She stood, ready, when the cell door next to hers opened.

A moment later, her own cell opened, revealing a man clad in armor. He wore a green cloak, and her eagle was perched on his fist.

At the sight of her, the raptor leaped from the stranger onto Jac, screeching a sound close to delight. The assassin smiled and stroked his feathers with one finger.

The Greencloak watched. "We must be quick. That guard will wake up soon."

"Who are you?" Jac demanded harshly, bringing her fist up to her shoulder so the eagle could step up.

"Tarik." The man said grimly. "A Greencloak."

Jac rolled her eyes. "I guessed as much," she growled, gesturing to his green cloak.

"I'll explain more later. For now, we must run."

The young girl gave a slight nod and followed him from the cell, dodging by Axel, who slumped on the floor, asleep. "What did you do to him?" She asked Tarik curiously.

"Poison." He responded, glancing at the assassin.

Getting out of the castle was quite simple once she was out of the cell. Jac followed Tarik through a window that led into the gardens, and from there, they ran into the streets of the town.

The eagle - shockingly - remained perched on her shoulder the whole time.

"So, tell me again who you are." Jac demanded once they were a safe distance from the palace.

"Someone who can give you answers."

The girl glanced at her eagle. "Maybe I don't need answers." She said with a raised brow under her mask. "Maybe I just need to punch you in the face for being so vague."

Tarik was silent.

Jac growled. "Fine. Tell me why I called an eagle when it's impossible to do so."

The Greencloak shifted his gaze to the eagle. "That's not just any eagle, kid."

"What do you mean?"

"That's _the_ eagle." Tarik elaborated.

Jac blinked in shock. "What?"

"A famed assassin will tend a natural killer in exile." The Greencloak recited. "The first part in an age-old prophecy."

"I'm the assassin."

"You are."

"And this eagle . . . is Halawir?"

"Yep."

"As in, the Great Beast Halawir?"

"The one and only." He smiled slightly. "I'm tasked with finding the Four Fallen and the Four Avengers. You must come to Greenhaven with me."

Jac was numb. "May I . . . speak to, er, Halawir . . . alone?"

He nodded, and the assassin walked a few paces away, shocked beyond belief as she stared at her eagle - Halawir. It all made sense now. The gray eyes, the strong connection to him. She had read up so much on Halawir the Eagle - how he was a killer at first, before he saw Essix die in the Battle. He avenged her death, just like the others did.

"I . . . can't believe it." She whispered. "You're him. And I understand now."

Halawir stared back at her impassively.

"Don't you see?" She hissed. "You and I share something. We have a bond, a bond like no other two creatures." Her one eye glinted as she pulled off her mask, revealing her face. "In my world, I had a vision, a vision of a world to come. But there can be paradise for us if we are ready. I was chosen to survive in order to show the world this vision. And so were you. Who else has lived through torture?" She blinked, showing that - while her right eye was normal, the other one bore a giant, jagged scar that had long since healed. Her left eye was completely white. "Look at me, Halawir, my eyes once would have seen more than shadows and moonlight. And now I stand before you, half blind. And yet I see, see more than any human has ever seen."

The eagle shrieked, his gray eyes glimmering with understanding. They turned back to Tarik, who was polishing his silver armor with his cloak.

"Do I have to take the vows now?" She asked. "Or may I think about it for a few days?"

"Think about it." Tarik responded after a moment. "But remember that if you do become a Greencloak, it would mean giving up more than just the killing." He gave her a knowing look. "Very few people can make the commitment that all of us have. I think you'd be a great Greencloak, but you have to want it with all your heart.


	2. Chapter 2 - Suka

Bailey was bored.

Endless water stretched around the boat she resided in, frozen pieces drifting close enough to touch. She hated it out here, in the freezing oceans, away from her village. Having a splitting headache didn't help matters anyway.

It wasn't much, but at least it was warmer than the open seas.

Arctica - the coldest continent in Erdas, and by far the most miserable. It was always cold, always raining or snowing or hailing. The food - what little they could find - was bitter and tasteless.

Yes, Bailey truly lived in a prison.

Surrounded on all sides by water, eating fish for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and fishing.

She hated fishing.

It was a custom for children to take after their mother until their Nectar Ceremony. If they called a spirit animal, they would be free to go where they pleased in the village. If not, they were doomed to follow their mother's line of work. In this case, fishing.

Spirit animals were rare in Arctica. In the last century, only two people had summoned spirit animals in their village. Her older brother had called a whale shark and moved away to tropical waters, where it could live. The other was the chief, who had a snow hare. And he was at least a hundred years old.

Bailey was supposed to have her Ceremony months ago, but storms toward the south had prevented any shipments of Nectar from entering the Arctica waters. It wasn't fair, to her. By this time, she should have had her chance to break free of the horrible life she lived, but she was still stuck with her mom on this boat she hated so much.

"Pull the nets in!"

With a groan, Bailey tangled her fingers into the large net before her and pulled with all her might. Fish flopped all around, and the headache she had woken with early in the morning grew worse with the strain.

Looking around, she saw that her crewmates had also had luck in their catches. Bailey killed each of her own swiftly and tossed them into the bucket. Her village would eat decently tonight.

"Bailey?"

At the sound of her name, the bleach-blonde girl lifted her head to stare at the woman standing above her. "Hey, Mama."

Enrika was a lovely-looking lady, pale skin and even paler hair. Her blue eyes were a few shades darker than Bailey's own, giving her a darker appearance than most Arctica people. "How many fish?" She asked her daughter.

"I've counted thirteen so far."

"And all are twelve inches or longer?"

"Yes, Mama."

Enrika smiled brightly. "Great job. I'll make a fisher out of you yet."

"Unless I get a spirit animal." Bailey grunted tiredly.

The woman blinked. "It's been three months since your canceled bonding day. If it hasn't happened naturally by now, it never will."

Bailey rolled her eyes and cut the last fish. "Seventeen fish."

At the abrupt change of subject, Enrika nodded. "Very good. Let's start pulling the boat back toward the shore. We'll be late for dinner if we dawdle any longer."

Picking up her bucket, Bailey walked after her mother toward the boat controls. If she were doomed to this life, she might as well learn how to drive the vehicle so she didn't end up capsizing it.

Her headache had grown worse by the time she set her bucket down.

Enrika glanced at her. "Bailey? Are you okay?"

"Just a headache. Why?"

"You're looking very pale."

Bailey shook her head. "I might be slightly seasick. The smell of fish never appealed to me."

Enrika looked concerned. "Come here."

Bailey obeyed.

Her mother put one hand on her forehead, and despite living in the cold, Bailey jumped at the ice-cold touch of Enrika.

There was the sound of air being sucked through teeth. "You're burning up."

The young girl grunted, feeling her stomach jump. She darted toward a waste bin and vomited.

Enrika gasped.

Bailey groaned. "That hurts so bad," she slurred, her chest heaving.

A tingling had started in her gut, growing more painful with eat ragged breath she took. It was as if she had swallowed a swarm of flies, it was that uncomfortable.

What was happening?

Screaming broke her from the trance she was in.

Bailey stood up, fighting the horrible feeling in her gut, and ran toward the boat deck, only to freeze when she saw it.

It was _huge. _Gleaming white fur, blazing back eyes flecked with the color of sunlit ice. Claws as long as her hand.

"Polar Bear!" Someone screamed, hurling a spear at the huge beast.

Bailey has seen polar bears up close. They were native to Arctica. But this was by far the largest bear she had ever seen. Roughly the size of a rhino.

It rose up on its hind legs and roared, shaking the boat as it swatted the spears away and into the freezing oceans. It swung its head around, examining the petrified crew.

Then it saw Bailey.

She had read how polar bears target younger prey, as they are easier to catch. Now, as her crew looked on, the bear dropped onto all fours and walked toward the young girl, black eyes fixed on the child.

The headache and the tingling in her gut grew more intense as the beast drew nearer.

It paused about two feet away from her, tilting its head as though curious. Bailey was stunned. No animal had been able to bring such pain to her insides as this bear had. She supposed summoning a spirit animal without Nectar would cause it, but that couldn't happen.

Nobody called polar bears because a Great Beast, Suka, was a polar bear. Great Beasts were never spirit animals. It never happened.

But these facts didn't change the way this polar bear watched her, intent on finding something.

The feelings only grew stronger in the next few seconds, and Bailey knew that touching the newly called animal often eased the pain. But was this beast her spirit animal?

Only one way to find out, she thought, reaching her hand forward. It was the moment of truth. Either the bear would let her touch it, or she would have her hand bitten off.

She closed her eyes, aware that everyone on the boat was watching.

Fur pressed against her hand. Bailey opened her eyes to stare in amazement at the bear, which had leaned forward and touched her with its head.

It was her spirit animal, she thought as the pain faded and her senses sharpened.

Her body seemed to block out the cold wind. Bailey could smell the salt on the fish her crewmates had dragged in, as well as the fishy breath of the bear she currently touched. Gazing at it, she saw it was a female, and behind the eyes of an animal, she held a certain intelligence the girl had never seen in any other animal.

The bear pulled away from her touch, and the senses dulled back to normal. Bailey was left rather stunned at the sudden shift in her perspective.

Then, Enrika grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the bear.

"Are you nuts?!" Her mother yelled. "That's a polar bear!"

Bailey looked her mother in the eyes. "She's my polar bear."

"Bailey, dear," Enrika began gently. "I know you want a spirit animal, but you can't claim just any animal as yours." It was clear by the look in her eyes that she thought her daughter was making this up.

"She's _mine_."

Her mother straightened. "No, it isn't." Her tone hardened considerably. "You cannot summon polar bears, and _you_ can't have a spirit animal. I won't stand for it."

Bailey gasped. "What?"

Enrika glared at her. "I've tried to be nice about it, truly, I have. But I already lost Rodrick to his stupid shark." She snapped, turning to pick up a spear. "Someone needs to continue the fishing line, and if you have a spirit animal, that won't happen."

"What are you doing?" The blonde gasped.

"Getting rid of this thing!"

The polar bear looked shocked at the spear that was suddenly hurled at her, but fortunately, she dodged the weapon with a swift sidestep.

Bailey was stunned.

"Leave her alone!" She cried, coming to stand between her mother and the polar bear. She glared murderously at Enrika. "Don't touch her. I don't know how, but the polar bear is my spirit animal. I feel it."

The older woman stepped back, her eyes hard. "It isn't possible." She hissed.

"Perhaps, we should go to Yves?" One woman ventured, eyes nervously on the bear.

At the mention of the Chief and elder Greencloak - the only other person in the last century to have a spirit animal - Bailey brightened. Surely he would know what to do?

Enrika glared at the other woman, but lowered the second spear. "Fine." She lowered her voice ever so slightly. Her gaze darted to Bailey. "You can stay with it on the stern, but don't let it near the other crew members."

Bailey grinned in delight as she glanced at the bear.

* * *

By the time the boat pulled into the docks, Bailey had drawn much closer to her new spirit animal. The bear was very sweet, and protective.

Most everyone on the boat steered well clear of Bailey after they set sail again, but she didn't mind. Snuggling to her spirit animal was all that mattered to her.

Standing up as the boat came to a stop, Bailey walked elegantly onto the docks, eager to get off the boat and escape the rocking motion. The polar bear followed her leisurely, seeming to be at ease.

Enrika gave a low growl when she spotted them, but turned to walk into the village rather than converse with her daughter.

Knowing she had to follow, Bailey beckoned to her bear and trudged after the elder woman toward a lone house close to the other side.

_Knock, knock, knock._

About four seconds after the knocks resided, the door opened, and an aged man stood before them, his brown eyes looking down at Enrika and Bailey.

"Whaddaya want?" He slurred, leaning heavily against his doorframe.

Bailey wrinkled her nose at the sour smell coming from his breath. Clearly, the Greencloak was drunk - as he was about seventy percent of the time.

Enrika was obviously not in the mood to deal with his intoxication, because she grabbed him by the front of his shirt and slammed him into the wall harshly. "Alright, Yves." She hissed. "We need answers."

Yves grunted at the force. "Answers for whaaat?" He complained. His spirit animal, a large snow hare, looked at Enrika with hatred, and he held his hand up. "Easy there, Badr."

Bailey sighed. This was clearly how things were going down, so she might as well explain. "I called a spirit animal." She spoke gently to the elder. "Naturally, on the boat."

"I can't help ya." He grumbled, wrestling with Enrika. "Don't have Nectar, and it can't cure bonding sickness."

"We don't need help. I was lucky not to catch the sickness." Bailey said kindly. "My spirit animal is a polar bear."

Apparently, the elderly man was sober enough to understand those words, because he suddenly stopped struggling and widened his brown eyes. "A polar bear?" His words held wonder.

Bailey nodded and revealed her spirit animal, standing behind her.

Yves shoved Enrika off of him and approached Bailey. "So you're the one." He slurred, his eyes bright. "A girl who would be a fisher will befriend a hunter."

"The one?"

"The one Suka chose."

Bailey tipped her head to the side. "Suka?"

Yves pointed to the bear. "Suka."

"That's not Suka." Bailey said in confusion. "It can't be."

Suka was a Great Beast, one of the fifteen and the Four Avengers. According to history books, when the Four Fallen died, she had charged into the battle to avenge Jhi the Panda, just as Halawir had done for Essix, Cabaro had done for Uraza, and Arax had done for Briggan.

But now, as she looked closer ather spirit animal, she realized that it did indeed look like Suka. The black eyes, the long, black claws.

"B-But . . ." Bailey stuttered. "Suka was huge! The size of five humans stacked together!"

Yves was grinning. "Perhaps back then." He said, his voice shaking. "But the F-Fallen are being reborn. S-Suka was among those prophesied to return."

Bailey stood in place, stunned.

"Congratulations, Bailey." Yves stood as straight as he could. "You have called Suka back to Erdas."


	3. Chapter 3 - Cabaro

"Good people of Nilo!"

Hannah sat placidly on a chair, watching the young Greencloak address the crowds gathered before him.

"We stand here this afternoon to administer a scared liquid to seven young children tonight, in hopes that the rare connection between man and beast will join a child here to an animal."

Today was Hannah's Nectar Ceremony. In a few minutes, this Greencloak - named Jabari - would hand to her the bowl he held in his hands. She would sip, and perhaps an animal would come to her.

She had always longed for a companion of some sort. She had few friends in this bustling city, called in simple terms, Tau - City of the Lion. It was one of the largest cities in Nilo, and by far one of the most populated. Hannah's few friends were orphans who had no love for anyone in the city, save for her. She often helped to feed them, but that was it. She had never gone out of her way to make time for them, and vice versa.

The people gathered were silent, watching the seven children with intensity. Hannah was fifth in line, preceded by four higher-ranked children. Traditions in this city were much different than the ones south. While the tribes closer to the southern tip of Nilo used tribal customs, Tau was much more developed and tended to do things in the way Eura did.

"Zazu, son of Eshen, please come forward."

Hannah watched this boy rise to his feet and walk elegantly toward the front of the stage, where Jabari waited for him. Zazu was a noble boy - son of a wealthy merchant. He stood in the place of honor, as did most higher civilizations in Eura.

"Receive the Nectar of Ninani."

Zazu took the bowl in his hands and sipped. The crowd leaned forward, ready, as he was the most likely of all children to call something.

At first, Hannah felt nothing out of the ordinary.

Then, the ground rumbled.

There was a warm glow of light next to Zazu, and out from the flash stepped a large crane.

Hannah yawned. This would be the fourth spirit animal she had seen summoned in her lifetime.

The boy put his hand on the crane's head and smiled. "She's a female." He said loud enough for the crowds to hear.

There came the respectful applause for him and his new companion. As he went to sit down, Hannah saw him smiling brightly. She knew he'd be congradulated later on.

"Kojo, son of Saski, step forward." Jabari announced.

The blacksmith boy did as he was told, looking grim.

"Receive the Nectar of Ninani."

Kojo sipped the Nectar, and as predicted, there was no calling. The boy sat back down, not looking the least bit disappointed.

"Kiara, daughter of the Orphanage, please come forward."

The young girl stood up and walked to the center of the stage. Hannah smiled slightly as she recognized one of the orphans she tended to. The long light hair was a dead giveaway, as she'd never asked the orphans any of their names. Kiara. Pretty.

"Receive the Nectar of Ninani."

Kiara nervously took the bowl in her hands and sipped, wincing slightly at the taste. She stood there for about six seconds, waiting, before she turned and walked quickly back to her seat.

Jabari seemed to be considering the remaining children. "Imani, son of Cancer, please step forward."

This young boy was a shopkeeper's son. He was quite shy, as Hannah had experienced before.

"Receive the Nectar of Ninani."

Hannah thought Imani would trip over his own two feet as he had walked up to the Greencloak, but now she feared he would drop the bowl as he sipped. Once he had, however, he didn't even wait. The boy practically ran back to his seat.

"Hannah, daughter of Claus, please come forward." There was a hint of amusement in Jabari's tone.

The girl stood up, her best dress swishing in the hot breeze of Nilo. She stepped forward, toward this Greencloak, and faced the crowd. All eyes were on her, and although her parents were not known as well as Zazu's, they made fair trade with anyone.

"Receive the Nectar of Ninani."

The bowl was handed to her, and Hannah took it delicately. Holding it to her lips, she took a single, small sip.

The flavor was sweet, familiar. She smiled in recognition at the taste of honey roasted chicken, but with a tad bit more honey than she liked. Still, her eyes teared up.

A darkness had descended over the city, and Hannah looked up to see a huge dark cloud blotting out the sun. Spirit animals from the crowd started to call out in a pandemonium - horrible sounds that came together in a sort of harmony.

Hannah started to itch. Her skin buzzed as though she had thousands of ants crawling all over her. She looked down. Nothing.

The ground rumbled beneath her feet, and a great roar had risen up above the screams of the animals. Hannah almost fell when a bright light overtook her vision, and a grand lion was left standing on the stage before the crowd.

There was a stunned silence.

Hannah backed away with a short gasp, her eyes fixed on the huge feline before her. It was huge, much larger than normal. Its head came well above her shoulders.

It wasn't possible. A Lion? Here?

Hannah has no idea what to do. This lion couldn't be her spirit animal. Lions were never spirit animals - just like leopards. Cabaro the Lion, a Great Beast, had died in a battle avenging Uraza the Leopard, centuries ago.

So how was it possible that one was standing before her now?

Its mane was thick and bronze, with tinges of gold highlights. The eyes were bright golden, penetrating her skin.

Was it waiting for something?

Hannah, captivated by the dazzling eyes, held out her hand toward the huge cat, waiting for it to make a move. At first, it blinked, as though disinterested. With a feeling of dread, the girl watched the lion turn away.

She lowered her hand.

Then, the Lion, as though by some invisible connection, turned back to her, meeting her gaze. Hannah felt her heart swell as it took two steps forward and pressed its head against her shoulder.

A feeling of great pride swelled in her chest as she surveyed the crowds, her eyesight sharpening in order to pick out individuals from the mass. Every murmur was heard, and she could smell the bakery three blocks down, delicious bread being pulled from the oven.

She turned her eyes to consider the lion. It was obviously a male, judging by the thick mane of fur. His eyes bore deep into hers, searching her soul. It was clear to Hannah that this lion considered her an equal, despite him being pretty much royalty in the animal world.

The insight faded, leaving the girl dizzy.

She couldn't believe it. A lion! She had called a lion as her spirit animal! As impossible as it was, he was there, rubbing against her shoulders like an overgrown kitten. And he was purring. Purring!

Leading him back to her chair, Hannah sat down, never ripping her eyes from the magnificent creature. He lay down before her, his bright gaze looking around him and taking in his surroundings. The simple twitch of the tip of his tail told her that he was bored of the crowds already.

The Greencloak seemed to have ripped out of a trance. "Oh, a-ah, Kwame." He stuttered. "Son of Walter, r-recieve the Nectar of Ninani."

Kwame stood up and walked - cautiously - to the front, his eyes focused on the lion. He sipped, and a goat appeared in a flash of light

Nala - daughter of Renoir - was the last to go, and she didn't call anything.

"Three cheers for three summons!" Jabari called, still looking at the lion.

The crowd exploded.

The lion stood up and gave a roar unlike any other animal Hannah had heard. The crowd silenced, and the animals within the mass all lowered their heads. The newly-called crane and goat did as well.

It seemed as though a king had returned to his throne.

* * *

Later that evening, Hannah entered her home and pounded up the stairs with her lion in tow. Her parents had not been home all day, so they didn't know about him. Launching onto her bed, the girl snuggled into her covers, grunting from sheer exhaustion.

The lion watched her closely, hunched near the door. He seemed to be rather irritated.

"Sorry, buddy." Hannah said apologetically. "The bed is too small."

He growled low in his throat, but it wasn't aggressive. Rather, it was sulky, and Hannah felt bad for leaving him on the floor.

"Alright." She finally said. "Come on up, King."

The lion brightened and stood up, pouncing on the bed. It freaked under his weight as he curled up with her.

Hannah ruffled his mane. "King, I can't believe I called you." She whispered, using the name she had chosen for him. "You're amazing."

King purred gently, seeming to enjoy his new name.

A lion. Hannah still couldn't believe it. She had a lion as her spirit animal. One that looked exactly like the legendary guardian of northern Nilo. King was gorgeous, and she already felt their bond was as strong as any other.

The door slammed. "Hannah!"

She sat up. "Mom! Dad!"

Getting out of the bed, Hannah ran to the door and charged down the stairs, jumping into the embrace of her parents.

"It was great! There were so many people!"

Her father set her down. "Who called an animal?"

"Well," Hannah wrung her hands. "Zazu called a crane, and Kwame summoned a goat."

She looked up at her parents.

"And, I called an animal too."

At once, both sets of eyes widened.

Hannah beamed. "He's so nice! I love him!"

Her mother blinked. "Oh? Call him down then."

The girl turned to the staircase and smiled brightly. "Hey, King! Come down and meet my parents."

There was a creaking, a grunt, and then soft pawsteps as the lion left the room and came into view at the top of the stairs.

Silence from her parents.

King yawned lazily and descended the stairs gracefully, coming to stand beside Hannah and stare intently at the two grownups in the room. His human snuggled into his mane.

Finally, after a few minutes of stunned silence, her father spoke. "T-that's a lion."

Hannah nodded. "His name's King."

"I think not." An unfamiliar voice spoke from the doorway.

King growled when the man standing behind the family, leaning against the doorframe. There was a green cloak draped over his shoulders, and a sloth climbing slowly up his left arm.

He stepped forward. "My name is Keith. And that's no ordinary lion, Hannah."

Hannah put a hand on King's head defensively. "Of course not. He's my lion."

"Hannah, dear, have you heard of the recent return of the Four Fallen?"

The girl shook her head.

Keith smiled slightly. "Eight Fallen beasts are returning to Erdas as spirit animals. Briggan, Uraza, Jhi, and Essix have already been apprehended."

"What's that got to do with King?"

"Because," Keith held up his hand. "while the Four Fallen return, so do the Fallen Avengers. Halawir, Suka, Cabaro, and Arax. A prophecy foretold it."

Hannah winced. "It did?"

"A famed assassin will tend a natural killer in exile. A girl who would be a fisher will befriend a hunter. A child who is also a thief will call a king. A prince who wishes for skills will summon a warrior. And in the shower of battle in the shadows of a cold palace, a war will be won . . . or lost." Keith recited, his eyes on King. "You are a thief, yes?"

Hannah's mother responded. "Yes. She is. Always stealing from others and running."

"And the Lion is the king of the pride, is he not?"

"Yes . . ." Hannah was nodding.

Keith smiled. "In conclusion, dear Hannah, that lion of yours is not just any lion."

Hannah froze as she turned to stare at King.

"His name's not King, Hannah." Keith said calmly. "His name is Cabaro. Avenger of Uraza."


	4. Chapter 4 - Arax

"You will be magnificent."

Miles rolled his eyes at his father's statement as the servants dressed him in the finest silk Zhong had to offer. "Please, Father. I'd rather not gloat until I've actually called something."

Today was Miles' Nectar Ceremony. His father - the king - was too excited about a literal zero chance. Miles tried not to get his hopes up for anything, in fact, he tried to resent the idea of calling something. His father was too mean to the spirit animals of the palace, even his own.

"In any case," he added. "We don't actually know if I'm going to call something."

The King laughed - a booming, insufferable sound. "Of course you will!" He stroked his Fairy Tern, Iska. "I called one, your mother was a Greencloak. You've got good blood in you, son."

"What do you expect I'll call?" Miles asked, staring at his father's small bird. The poor thing was always tense, because the King often swatted her around as though she were a gnat. However, Iska was loyal, and remained by his side no matter what.

The King glanced at his spirit animal. "Something more regal than this clumsy thing." He sniffed. "I expect a peacock."

Miles wrinkled his nose. That thought disgusted him. The last thing he wanted was an animal that was just there to be pretty. "I want a fighting animal." He told his father. "Something that will give me strength."

His father pondered the thought. "A wild cat or a fox, then?"

"Or an ox." Miles suggested. He had heard stories of warriors with ox as spirit animals. They were quite formidable.

"Absolutely not!" The King boomed angrily. "No son of mine will call such an unregal animal."

The prince flinched. "You say it like I can control what I call. That's not how the bond works."

"The bond takes an animal and bonds it to a person in order to mirror or match the person's qualities." One of the servants, sewing together two parts of the robe, said. She was a young blonde child with dazzling blue eyes. Obviously a foreigner from Eura.

Miles blinked down at her kindly. "Do you have a spirit animal?"

She nodded. "Yes. I can't serve in the castle without one."

"Release it. Spirit animals are welcome in _my room_." He stressed the last two words as his father opened his mouth as if to protest.

The girl stood up and bowed her head. "Thank you, Your Majesty." She said politely, touching her side tenderly. In a burst of white light, a zebra appeared in the room.

Miles gave a small grin as he saw it.

"This is Dot." The servant girl said happily.

The King snorted. "Who in their right mind names a zebra, _Dot_?"

Miles frowned. "She does. Now leave her alone, Father."

"Fine, whatever." The King left the room with a huff.

"Very undignified exit, Father." Miles commented once the king had left. He turned to the servant girl, but addressed all of his servants. "From now on, any of the servants under my care may have their spirit animals out whenever they please." He announced.

They all seemed surprised, but did not question him.

"Now let us finish with dressing." Miles added. "We wouldn't want to be late."

* * *

By the time the Ceremony came around and Miles was walking toward the stage, the entire crowd had gone silent. The young prince admired the fact that these events were so well respected and attended.

All around the stage, animals were chained. Miles caught signed of different breeds of wildcats, wild dogs, exotic birds - peacock included. He even saw some wild horses and even some snakes.

_But no oxen. _Miles thought with disappointment. It seemed that his father had ignored his wishes yet again. It was something the king did regularly.

He walked onto the stage, his eyes locked on the Greencloak waiting for him. Her name was Qianru, and she had administered the Nectar to his father when the king was a boy. At her side was her spirit animal, Lian, a brown-eared pheasant.

Qianru gave the young prince a smile, and Miles returned it as he stepped up to the center of the stage. The crowd had fallen silent as he entered, so there was no need for the elder Greencloak to quiet them.

Miles knelt down - and he found no problem with doing so. Qianru was an elder, so she deserved the respect. He had heard rumors that his father had refused to kneel at his own ceremony, but this was not his ceremony now. Miles would do as he pleased.

"Nobles of Zhong!" Qianru introduced the ceremony with a booming voice. "Here we stand, ready to watch the powerful ties between man and animal make a choice. Prince Miles, son of King Keiji, please step forward now."

Miles rose up to his feet and walked with as much grace as he could muster toward the center of the stage, where the Greencloak waited with a silver cup in her hands. As soon as he was within grasping distance, the cup was held out.

"Receive the Nectar of Ninani."

The young prince took the cup in his hands and held it to his lips. The sip came and passed, for a moment, not tasting like anything.

Then the bitterness came.

Miles choked. He didn't care how foolish it looked. That liquid was the most horrible thing he had ever tasted. Backing away from Qianru, he shook his head as though to clear the taste from his mouth. It was so gross it hurt - burning the roof of his mouth almost off completely.

A cold void filled his stomach, and Miles felt slightly uneasy. The feeling was strange, as though he had swallowed a block of ice whole.

The sun was out, but wind started to blow rather harshly. There was a great flash of light, and then an animal stepped forward.

It was a ram. A ram with dark silver fur and golden horns. The eyes looked like the yolk of an egg - perfectly yellow.

Miles reached his hand out toward the beast, a smile on his face. He had called a spirit animal. And not just any spirit animal, he had called a fighter.

But rams were never spirit animals, he remembered. Arax the Ram was a Great Beast, and nobody called animals close to Great Beasts.

The ram leaned forward and accepted the touch. Miles gasped at how soft his fur was. He had seen rams in the mountain regions of Zhong, but they were truly native to Amaya.

Qianru smiled brightly and beckoned to another Greencloak - one who look foreign to Zhong. She had blue hair, and a large, brightly-colored bird walked beside her.

"Hello, Miles." She said sweetly. "My name is Lenori. You've done something great today."

The prince smiled. "I called a ram."

"Something I'm not supposed to be able to do." Miles said with a nod.

"You are the fourth child in a prophecy. It says that a Prince who wishes for skills will call a warrior."

Miles blinked toward his father, who had a disappointed expression on his face. "I do wish for skills," he admitted, looking back at Lenori. "I wanted an animal with strength and ability, not beauty and grace."

The Greencloak smiled. "Well, then. You have gotten your wish, young Prince."

"I wonder what I'll name him." Miles stroked the huge sheep with love. The animal leaned into him, enjoying the contact.

Lenori chuckled. "You don't need to name him, Miles. He already has a name."

"He does?"

"His name is Arax, Avenger of Briggan the Wolf."

The crowd gasped, as did Miles. "Arax? The Ram?" He muttered. "As in, the Great Beast?"

"The very one." Lenori smiled. "You must come with me to Greenhaven, and meet the other Avengers as well as the Fallen."

"No!" The king rose up and was striding toward them angrily. "I'll not have you take my son, and I won't have that _thing_ anywhere near him!" He pointed at Arax.

"Father, it's my choice." Miles said calmly. "Arax is my spirit animal. I must go to Greenhaven."

Those green eyes turned to him, and Miles met them with a calm certainty.

"You cannot take Arax from me." The prince said softly. "He is mine, and I am his."

"Of all the things you could have called, you chose a ram?"

Miles tipped his head. "I can't control the animal I call."

His father shook his head. "Never mind that." He turned to Lenori with a scowl. "If you take him, he will never be allowed to return to Zhong."

"What?" This outraged the prince.

The king nodded. "If you leave the kingdom, I disown you as my son and take away the right to heir."

"I'm your only child, Father." Miles told him. "What will become of the kingdom if you fall?"

"I will allow the firstborn of my twin brother to take up the throne." The king answered simply.

Miles clenched his teeth. "Fine." He spat. "If you care so little about me and my plans, then go ahead. I never wanted to succeed you, anyway."

"Any last requests?" His father's voice had gone cold as he realized his son's choice.

The young prince thought for a moment. "All of the servants under my care are to be released!" He announced to the crowd. "Split up my treasures among them and let them live good lives."

The guards turned to obey.

Miles watched.

"Very well. From this day forward, Prince Miles, you are no longer my son, or my heir. Follow the Greencloak if you wish, but never return to the palace." The King announced, before turning away.

"Come, Miles." Lenori said bitterly as she watched the King. "Let's go. There is no place for us here."

"Once there was." Miles said softly. If his mother were still around, then he would have been able to become a Greencloak without losing his position as heir.

Lenori seemed to guess his thoughts. "What was she like?"

"Wonderful." Miles answered. "She was a Greencloak, with a white tiger as a spirit animal. Father only saw her, however, for the beauty n the outside. He cared not a whit for her or her animal, so she left one day. I've not seen her since."

"Care to give a name?"

"Uhh, Lishay. Why?"

The Greencloak stiffened. "Lishay?"

"Yeah, why?"

Lenori sighed. "I knew - I KNOW her."

Miles was silent.

"She spoke of you often. How much she regretted leaving you."

"Will I be able to see her?"

"When we go to Greenhaven to meet the Avengers and the Fallen, I will send for her." The Greencloak promised. "I think she'll be pleased to know her son didn't take after the man she married."

"Thank you." The prince said, smiling at the thought of meeting his mother again. He then shifted slightly to his other foot, as they were standing still. "Um, who are the other Avengers?"

Lenori seemed taken aback by this question. "Halawir the Eagle was summoned by an assassin named Jacquelyn. Suka the Polar Bear was called by a young fisher named Bailey. Cabaro came to a common thief called Hannah." She paused. "None have taken the vows yet."

Jacquelyn, Bailey, and Hannah . . .

Miles brightened. "I know them!"

"You do?" This appalled Lenori.

"Yes!" The prince hugged Arax. "I met Jac when I was nearly mugged in the city. She saved my life by killing the man. That act bonded us closer than friends. Bailey came to Zhong with her mother the same day to trade and we walked with her for a while, and Hannah came to feed the orphans here, Jac, Bailey and I all helped. We became friends."

"You all know each other?" Lenori asked curiously.

Miles nodded. "We're like siblings. I've often wished to leave and go live with one of them."

Lenori relaxed slightly. "Then it's a good thing you do. Because the Prophecy states that you four are the Children of Ninani."

"Children of Ninani?"

"I'll explain what that means when you all are together." Lenori told him.

Miles nodded. "Have they taken the vows?"

Lenori winced. "No. None of them have. Jac is not ready to accept the cloak and give up her way of life. Bailey is a bit timid when it comes to making vows. Hannah wants to know why she's there before she accepts."

"I'll wait then, too." Miles said. "I want to see what the life of a Greencloak is like before I run headfirst into it."

Arax bleated - an agreement.


	5. Chapter 5 - The Journey

Hannah stared blankly at the sky as the boat pulled against the wind and raging water. The journey had been long. Too long for her immediate liking. Along the way, she had met five other kids - three of which were childhood friends, much to her delight.

First was Bailey, summoner of Suka. The last time Hannah had seen her, she had been a miserable bag of bones who hated her life. The moment she had caught sight of the assassin, Bailey had shrieked with joy and leapt in for a hug.

Next, they collected Jac - who summoned Halawir the Eagle. Now there was a girl who had not changed. Hannah remembered her as an assassin - and still saw her as such. Even at this moment, the redhead-brunette wore her metal mask, concealing her facial features from them all.

Then came Miles. Young, innocent, Miles. A Prince in exile from his own land. It was because of him that Jac pledged to spare their lives all those years ago. Miles had been a good friend when she had threatened his life, and because of that, she had taken the Oath of an Assassin - promising to never lift her hand against any of the three kids she had met that day. He had called Arax the Ram. Hannah smiled.

Also joining them was two of the Four Fallen. A young servant boy by the name of Conor had called Briggan the Wolf. He seemed shy, so the girl had only exchanged a few words with him.

The one that truly caught her interest was Meilin. A Zhongese warrior who had summoned Jhi the Panda. Jac spoke a few words to her, and despite being an assassin, had really hit it off. The warrior girl had already mastered the passive state, where Jhi currently lay dormant. Hannah was intrigued by their trust already.

"So which Great Beast did you call?" Meilin was asking, absentmindedly. They were both leaning against the railing of the boat, with Hannah standing straight behind them. "I assume it was Uraza, because you are stealthy, just like a cat."

Jac shrugged, smirking. "Nope."

Meilin raised a brow

Standing straight, the assassin tilted her head to the sky and let out a very high-pitched, long whistle.

Halawir answered with a similar sound and, in a whirl of bronze feathers, landed on her shoulder with an insane amount of force. Hannah watched as Jac fought to keep her balance as she smiled at Meilin.

"Meet Halawir. My spirit animal."

Hannah thought it was amazing how much the eagle trusted Jac already. He listened to the assassin far more than Cabaro listened to her. Glancing at her lion, the Niloan girl saw that he also stared at Halawir. Was that disdain in his eyes, or admiration? She couldn't tell.

Walking over to the beast, Hannah wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his mane, feeling his pelt rumble with content as she did so. It was true - their bond was already stronger than normal bonds were, but she felt that it would be best to keep working on it until the lion was ready to go passive.

Then, the man who had been traveling with the group of young kids, stepped out from below deck, his tattered green cloak draped loosely around his shoulders. He smiled at them all.

"We will make landfall shortly." He said, his brown eyes glinting.

Cabaro growled, his golden gaze darting toward Tarik. It seemed that the lion had no love for Greencloaks. Why that was, Hannah didn't know, but she clung to him tighter nonetheless. "Want to go below deck?" She asked him in a whisper.

The lion grunted and rose to his paws, shaking out his fur once Hannah released him from his hug. Putting one hand on his back, she guided him toward the door that would lead below deck.

Hannah descended first. The stairwell was dark and dusty, causing her to sneeze. Once at the bottom, she turned to gaze up at Cabaro, who remained at the top for a moment before following her gracefully. The wooden stairs creaked under his weight.

The Niloan girl struck a match to light a candle hanging on the wall. Once the dark hallway was at least partially lit up and her eyes adjusted to the gloom, she and her lion headed down toward their quarters to await docking. Cabaro hated being on the ship, so hopefully being down here would take his mind off of the sickening rock of the vessel.

They entered their room silently. All in all, it wasn't very large. It held a single bed big enough for both Hannah and Cabaro to sleep on, as well as a dresser and a nice space for training.

She took out of her backpack an axe - handmade by a blacksmithing Greencloak in her village. It was hefty - with a blade made from iron and copper - and a handle carved from Stetriolan ironwood tree bark - the strongest wood in the world. Of course, she had stolen it a while back.

Now, she faced her lion, ready to train for a bit until they reached Sunset Tower. According to Tarik, training would strengthen their bond and ensure trust between the two partners.

Cabaro stared at her, the bushy tip of his tail twitching slightly in anticipation.

Then, both partners leapt.

* * *

The sunlight was blinding as Hannah followed the others off the boat, one hand clutching the mane of her lion tightly.

Jac was standing beside Tarik, with Halawir nowhere in sight. Her mask was still on her face as she assessed the group thoughtfully. Bailey was lurking beside Suka, her face expressionless. Miles stood near the back, one hand on Arax's horn and the other holding his golden crown, which he kept with him despite his exile. Meilin had let Jhi out from passive, and the panda stood near her girl with a curious glint in her silver eyes. Lastly, Conor was running his hands through Briggan's fur, a small smile on his face.

Tarik mounted his horse, which was tied to a post waiting for them at the docks. Hannah glanced at Cabaro with a smirk, but it was dismissed by a low growl from the cat. Hannah chuckled at his grouchy mood and ruffled his mane a bit, getting an irritated look from the beast.

The girl, still giggling, walked forward until she stood beside Bailey. When they began to walk, she glanced at her childhood friend.

"So . . ." the Niloan girl said awkwardly, glancing at Bailey. "What is your preferred weapon of choice?"

The white-haired girl glanced at Hannah curiously. "Trident." Her voice was silky, just as Hannah remembered it. Looking down, the girl saw that Bailey indeed carried a medium-sized silver trident - most likely a gift from the Greencloaks. There was a blue stone in the center of the middle prong - one that matched Suka's eye color exactly. "Yours?"

Hannah smiled slightly and held up her axe. "Battle axe."

"That looks quite hefty."

"It is."

The gates of Sunset Tower came into view, and Hannah rushed forward to walk beside Tarik and his horse.

"I'm Tarik," the Greencloak was saying to a young boy standing before them. "I take it you're Rollan?"

They boy was tall, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. He wore a gray cloak rather than green, which wasn't a surprise, because none of the Four Avengers had taken vows yet. Jac had kept her black cloak, while Bailey took a white one. Hannah herself had a brown cloak, and Miles had taken a beige one.

Hannah looked at the boy curiously, stroking Cabaro.

"I was trying to keep a low profile," The boy said. "How could you tell? It was the falcon, wasn't it?"

For the first time, Hannah turned her gaze to the large falcon perched on his fist. It was quite pretty, and seemed to have a sort of . . . outside air to it.

"Jac, Meilin, Conor, Bailey, Hannah, Miles, I would like you to meet Rollan," Tarik said. "He was born and raised here in Amaya. Just as you six summoned Halawir, Jhi, Briggan, Suka, Cabaro and Arax, he called Essix."

The wolf padded forward and the falcon fluttered down to stand before it. The panda moved in close as well, and Essix gave a soft screech. Suka stood nearby, her nose twitching, and Cabaro growled curiously from next to Arax, staring at Essix. The six animals cautiously investigated each other.

Hannah glanced at Jac, who was staring up at the sky with a smirk.

"Do they remember?" Meilin asked, watching the exchange.

"Perhaps," Tarik ventured. "It's difficult to pinpoint how much of their former lives they recall. Much of it might be instinct at this stage."

"What about the fourth Fallen Beast?" Rollan asked. "Uraza."

Tarik scowled - not a very happy face. "Somebody got to Uraza and her new partner before us, much as Zerif attempted with you. The girl is named Abeke. We don't know her present location, but we won't rest until we find her. Lenori believes that she and Uraza are still alive. The challenge will be finding them."

"Is Lenori how you found us?" Conor asked.

Tarik nodded. "Lenori is the most gifted visionary of all the Greencloaks. Thanks to her unique foresight, we suspected the Four Fallen were returning."

"Cool." Bailey said with a smirk, clutching her trident.

"Her powers can't be entirely unique," Rollan pointed out, much to the bitterness of Hannah, who glared at him. "Not if somebody beat you to the girl in Nilo."

"If Uraza is currently lost," Meilin said, "then the three of us must represent the Four Fallen. Aren't we supposed to learn what's going on, now that we're together?"

Jac walked forward so she stood between Hannah and Bailey. "All of the Four Avengers are here." She added, her voice slightly muffled by her mask. "I think we have a right to know the situation."

"That information is Olvan's to share," Tarik told them sternly. "You already know that we want you to join the Greencloaks and help us preserve Erdas."

"From the Devourer?" Rollan asked, causing all eyes to turn on him.

Tarik grunted, as if not expecting the question. "Who mentioned the Devourer?"

"This guy I met," Rollan said. "He was riding a moose."

"We're still not positive who we're up against. If it isn't the Devourer himself, it's somebody very much like him. It shouldn't be long before Olvan explains why we need your help. For the moment, you seven should seize this chance to get better acquainted. You'll see a lot of each other in the coming days. I'll ride ahead to announce our arrival."

Hannah put her hand on Cabaro and stared at the others.

"Get ready to be stared at," Rollan warned them as Tarik rode away. "It's all people have done since I arrived. At first I worried I had food on my face."

"Joy. I love attention." Miles growled, one arm wrapped around Arax.

"People tend to stare at newcomers," Meilin explained. "Especially important ones."

Bailey winced. "I'm not important."

"I guess our animals make us important," Conor said, sounding uncertain whether he believed it.

The conversation died out. Conor looked uneasy. Hannah felt bad for him.

Hannah looked around at her new acquaintances. They all seemed to have a different attitude toward this whole idea. Conor seemed to be shy, while Rollan acted irritated. Meilin was looking down in boredom, and Bailey was stroking her polar bear. Miles talked with Jac quietly, and the assassin was still unreadable.

"Judging by your clothes, I take it you're rich," Rollan said to Meilin.

"Wealth is relative," she replied with an icy stare. "The emperor has much more treasure than my father."

Rollan chuckled drily. "If the Zhongese emperor is your example of someone richer than you, you have to be loaded."

"My father is a general and there are also successful merchants in my bloodline."

"Yep, rich," Rollan confirmed. "What about you, Conor? Do you have a family or a bloodline?"

Conor reddened slightly, glancing at Meilin. "A family. We have bloodlines, I guess, but we don't use that word. We're shepherds. I got stuck as a servant for a time, but I always preferred the outdoors."

Hannah piped up. "I'm a thief with a home." She offered.

"I'm a fisher. Suka saved me from that life." Bailey said quietly.

Rollan glanced at Miles. "What about you, boy?"

"I'm an exiled Prince." He responded in a silky tone. "I'm here because my father disowned me after Arax appeared."

"Harsh." Rollan tsked. "I'm an orphan. I'm only here because Essix was my ticket out of jail."

"Jail!" Conor exclaimed. "What did you do?"

Hannah smirked. "I've never gone to jail."

Rollan leaned in. "Actually, I was innocent - not that I had any proof. I was arrested for stealing medicine from an apothecary."

"Were you sick?" Conor asked.

"A friend had a bad fever. But I didn't swipe the medicine. Another friend did. I was around when it happened, so they assumed I was in on it."

"Which is the lie?" Meilin asked. "That you were in jail, or that you were there for stealing medicine?"

Rollan shrugged. "You got me. I'm actually Olvan's son. He's having me spy on you."

Meilin didn't challenge him further, but Hannah could see she didn't trust him. Maybe she wasn't completely stupid. It was a pretty far-fetched story. Plus she hadn't accepted a green cloak yet.

Jac was the one to scoff.

"And who are you, Miss Masked Mystery?" Rollan turned to the assassin. "Another Greencloak? Where's your spirit animal?"

The girl lowered her head slightly and whistled, just as she had done on the boat. A few moments of silence passed, and then a screech responded. Hannah could have sworn she saw Essix widen her amber eyes.

Halawir plunged down and landed on Jac's arm with a dignified shriek. His gray eyes assessed the other Fallen curiously, but lingered the longest on Essix herself.

Rollan was at a loss for words.

Conor peered over his shoulder at Sunset Tower. "What do you think they want us to do?"

"Maybe you should have asked before you put on the cloak," Rollan suggested, regaining his wits.

"I expect they'll want us as soldiers," Meilin said. "Leaders, probably. The war has already begun."

"Maybe spies?" Jac suggested, running a finger through Halawir's feathers.

"I bet they want us as mascots," Rollan said. "They'll probably add me to the Amayan flag."

Conor laughed, blushing slightly. "Can you imagine? As if all the attention didn't make me uncomfortable enough."

Bailey shuddered. "I'll say."

"This is a poor hour for humor," Meilin snapped, her eyes smoldering. "Zhong is under heavy attack. The Greencloaks smuggled me away as my father fought to defend our city. I still haven't heard whether he lived or died! Whatever they have planned for us better be good."

Rollan eyed her warily. "I'm not sure how helpful I'll be," he said. "Do you two have any tips about the animals? I can hardly get Essix to do anything."

"I've been trying with Briggan," Conor said, crouching to pet his wolf. "He can be stubborn. The more we've gotten to know each other, the better it's become. Tarik told me that eventually we can get powers from them."

Rollan glanced at Meilin and her panda. "What's your power going to be? Cuddling?"

Meilin's face was pure ice. For a moment her lips trembled, but after that the anger only touched her eyes. She held out her arm and in a flash Jhi became a design on the back of her hand. She turned and stormed away.

"See," Rollan called. "Like that! How did you figure that out?"

"Too late," Conor said quietly. "I haven't known Meilin long, but I can tell she has a temper."

"Can you do that too?" Rollan asked. "The tattoo thing?"

"Not yet," Conor said.

"What about you four?"

Hannah shrugged. "Cabaro is a bit too prideful to consent to passive yet, but at least he likes me to a certain extent."

Bailey ran her hand through Suka's fur. "We've come closer the longer we've been together." She murmured. "I think she will consent soon."

Miles was silent, stroking the horns of Arax.

"Halawir and I are very close." Jac said. "But we were separated after the Ceremony, so we still have trouble bonding."

"Separated?" Conor asked, bewildered.

Jac gave him a look through her mask, as Hannah saw. "I'm a highly skilled assassin famous for killing nobles." She explained in her usual rough voice. "The guards took Halawir and threw him into another cell after the bonding was over."

Rollan stroked Essix. "At least we're not the only slow learners."

Hannah smiled.


End file.
